This invention relates to an information processing system, and, more particularly, to a system having a display unit for executing display and input of information.
When the input and display of information is executed in a conventional computer system (hereinafter referred to as "system") using a CRT display unit, a number of information processing function names provided by the system normally are displayed in menu form. There are many methods of selecting functions , such as by pointing to menu numbers or icons using a mouse input system. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a menu display using an icon display for a medical ward management system. The respective function screens 12 are displayed on a CRT 11. In order to avoid displaying the menu screen every time a function is to be selected, function menu 14 is continuously displayed in the bottom section of CRT screen, even under any function screen display. Function menu 14 depends on an icon display 13 corresponding to each function, and the request for display of a relevant function screen is executed by pointing to a relevant place using a pointing device, such as a mouse.
When executing menu selection by a conventional method such as described above, each function can be freely selected on the CRT screen. However, in the actual system there are inter-relationships between each function. There are some functions which cannot be selected without first operating a preliminary stage of selecting another function, such as the setting of conditions or limiting the information search domain.
In FIG. 1, there are a total of eight functions and there are four functions which are essential aims (hereinafter referred to as "main functions"). Those are the four main functions of injection guidance, injection execution, patient information and file storage. The other four functions (input functions) are ones which have to be selected as preliminary stages (hereinafter referred to as "setting functions").
FIGS. 2 to 4 show which setting functions have to be selected first when operating each main function. FIG. 2 shows the case when operating the injection guidance function. In obtaining guidance on an injection, it is necessary to input a condition which indicates for which patient the guidance is to be obtained and, furthermore, a condition for who is giving the guidance. That is to say, when the "Injection Guidance" function is selected, the "Patient Name Input" function and "Doctor Name Input" function must have already been selected beforehand and each condition setting must have been executed.
FIG. 3 is an operation flow-chart for the injection execution function, which inputs the fact that an injection has been correctly executed based on the injection guidance of a doctor. In the same way as in FIG. 2, as a preliminary stage to operating the main function, since "Patient Name Input" is required and the main function is a function which is executed by a nurse, it is necessary to operate "Nurse Name Input" function beforehand for identifying which nurse will execute the operation.
FIG. 4 is an operation flow-chart for the "Patient Information" function for displaying patient information stored in the ward management system. In this case, the requirement for "Patient Name Input" is the same as in the above two examples. However, no authorization is needed from a doctor nor a nurse. Information on the responsible doctor or nurse may be input using the "Doctor Name Input" or the "Nurse Name Input".
FIG. 5 is an operation flow-chart for the storage functions for the various files in the ward maintenance system. This case differs from the above three examples in that it is executed by a system manager a clerk) who is not directly connected with the medical activities. That is to say, since this is not a function carried out specifically with a patient as a subject, the condition in which the main function can be selected is only a "Clerk Name Input" function which informs the system that the operator who is operating the system and selecting the main function is a system manager, who has the correct qualification.
As described above, the type of setting function which is preliminary to a main operation differs for every main function. When the selection of the function was left to the operator with only a display of conventional menu items, it was not clear at that time which function could be selected or which setting functions had already been executed. Therefore, this led to confusion when operating the system and wasted time.